While 2020 proved to be a year we never expected, you could say 2021 is shaping up to be just as shocking. With the way the real estate market is going, houses are flying off the market at record high over-asking prices. Whether you are preparing your home or sale or simply want to make sure you have the best looking house in the neighborhood, gutter brightening is a must-have service. After the job is done, your curb appeal will improve tenfold and you will wonder why you didn’t call Trotta’s Power Washing sooner!
Gutter brightening is almost exactly what it sounds like. It brightens your gutters to make them look more appealing. This brightening treatment involves a special cleaning solution used to remove stubborn stains, grime, dirt, leaves, animal dung, and any other unsightly material that is caked into the gutters. It does not turn them a different color because it is not a coating or a painting.
If your gutters are white, they will look whiter. If they were brown or tan, they would look like they did when they were freshly installed. The gutter brightening process improves the overall look of your gutter system and helps improve curb appeal. It does not change the color of your gutters, however. If you have brown gutters and would rather have white ones on your home, that is an entirely different process altogether.
Justin Trotta, owner of Trotta’s Power Washing, wants homeowners to know that, “Gutter brightening is just like anything else for your home. It’s more of a regular maintenance scheduled item for your roof, your house, and your gutters.” Gutter brightening can be completed as often as any homeowner would like. However, it is usually unnecessary to complete this service once a month. Anytime the entire house is being pressure washed by Trotta’s Power Washing, it’s a good time to add on gutter brightening to the service call. By having your gutters brightened once a year, you prevent unnecessary build up in your gutter system and help maintain your home’s beautiful curb appeal.
What Is Gutter Brightening?
Gutter brightening is a specialized cleaning process designed to remove dirt, grime, and discoloration from the gutter surface, restoring its original shine and color. This service is particularly effective for enhancing the curb appeal of your home, making your gutters look as good as new. Unlike gutter painting, which adds a layer of paint, gutter brightening reveals the existing brightness beneath the accumulated dirt and discoloration. This makes it an ideal solution for light-colored gutters that still have their original factory finish. The cleaning process involves using advanced cleaners and techniques to ensure your gutters regain their pristine appearance without altering their color.
Benefits of Gutter Brightening
Gutter brightening offers numerous benefits for homeowners. By removing dirt and discoloration, it significantly improves the curb appeal of your home, making it more attractive to potential buyers if you’re looking to sell. Clean gutters can also increase the value of your home and preserve the integrity of your gutter system for years to come. Additionally, gutter brightening helps prevent damage to your gutters, reducing the need for costly repairs. By adding gutter brightening to your regular maintenance routine, you ensure that your gutters not only look their best but also function properly, providing long-term benefits for your home.
Causes of Black Streaks on Gutters
Black streaks on gutters, often referred to as zebra stripes, are not caused by typical gutter debris like leaves or other organic materials. Instead, they result from particles coming down from the roof shingles during rain, pollutants in the air, and a process known as molecular bonding. The aluminum material used in gutters undergoes an Anodizing process, which allows paint to adhere properly but also attracts other particles and pollutants. This creates a magnetic effect that draws these particles to the aluminum, leading to the formation of black streaks on your gutters. Understanding this can help in choosing the right maintenance and cleaning methods to keep your gutters looking clean and new.
Importance of Regular Gutter Maintenance
Regular gutter maintenance is crucial to ensure your gutters function properly and maintain their appearance. Gutter cleaning and brightening can help prevent damage to your gutters, reducing the need for expensive repairs. By removing dirt and discoloration, you can also enhance the curb appeal of your home and potentially increase its value. Additionally, regular maintenance helps prevent the formation of black streaks on your gutters, keeping them looking pristine. By incorporating gutter brightening into your regular maintenance routine, you can ensure your gutters remain in top condition, both in terms of functionality and appearance, for years to come.
Gutter Brightening Service VS Gutter Painting VS Gutter Replacement
While Trotta’s Power Washing are experts at what they do, not all gutters are the right fit for a gutter brightening service. Justin is the first to say, “Not all gutters are going to brighten up. It’s not an exact science. We have dialed in where it happens and we have very great success on doing it. But just to note, there is a slight chance it may not work for all gutters.”
In the event that streaks, marks, or grime will not come off of the gutters, it may be time to consider gutter painting. Gutter painting is exactly what it sounds like, but it is often a temporary solution. The material of gutters is not engineered to have paint adhere to it for a longer period of time. Homeowners may get three to five years out of gutter painting before chipping and peeling occurs. At that time, a gutter replacement is usually the best option.
Gutter replacement is often incredibly expensive. Compared to the average $50-$300 to have Trotta’s Power Washing come out and complete a gutter brightening treatment, homeowners can expect to spend between $1000-$3000 on most houses to replace their gutters. Fortunately, regular maintenance with gutter brightening can prevent the need for even thinking about painting or replacing your home’s gutter system.
The Trotta Difference: Enhancing Curb Appeal
Trotta’s Power Washing was one of the pioneers of gutter brightening and improving curb appeal in the area. According to Justin, “We used to literally hand brighten the gutters. We were one of the first companies that ever did that here in Ohio. It was a very labor intensive process.” However, the days of hand brightening gutters are long over for Justin and his team. “We have since taken something that was so labor intensive and we’ve streamlined it with different advances in technology, cleaners and degreasers. We’ve made it a much simpler process and have passed that savings onto you.”
A gutter brightening service from Trotta’s Power Washing is not an independent service. It’s an affordable add on to our already low priced house washing. Since gravity takes over while the house is being cleaned, it’s impossible to do a gutter brightening service without power washing the whole house. However, with the large impact to your curb appeal, the add on is worth every penny.
To start, our team begins in the back of the house to avoid affecting curb appeal until we know exactly how the house and gutters are going to react to power washing. Once we receive the exact results from our test section, we begin by spraying from the top of the house down. We continue working from the top down in a vertical pattern until we reach the gutters. We will perform the gutter brightening add on then clean underneath the gutter. From there, we continue on with the regular pressure washing service around the house.
Over the past decade, we have served clients across northeast Ohio with a range of residential pressure washing services. There is no house too large or small for our team to handle. WE even have a patented soft wash system we can employ on houses with vinyl, aluminum, or wood siding. Please, do not hesitate to contact or call one of our friendly sales representatives today to receive your free estimate for house pressure washing and an add on gutter brightening service.
